WHAT YOU CAN DO!
Reduce Pollutants Caused By Your Household!
Lawn & Garden:
Excess nutrients/fertilizer cause algae growth.
-
Use fertilizer sparingly – 3 times/year maximum.
-
Use an organic fertilizer such as All Natural Lawn Restore or Whitney Farms Natural & Organic Lawn Food.
-
Use herbicides on a spot basis only as required.
-
If you use a professional garden service, pick one that is environment-friendly.
-
Don’t burn leaves or grass clippings near the lake.
-
Keep a “chemical free” zone of vegetation by the water’s edge.
Auto
-
Preferably wash cars at commercial locations where wastewater is treated, reused, or routed to the sanitary sewer (rather than the storm sewer which drains into the lake).
-
If washed at home, use phosphate-free soap sparingly and wash on grass.
-
Recycle used motor oil and antifreeze at an approved facility. (now there is a permanent one at the Eastgate transfer station).
Soil Erosion
-
Our soil contains phosphorus so don’t allow runoff into the lake. Sweep up dirt rather than washing it off of sidewalks and patios.
-
Maintain an area of vegetation between exposed soil or lawn and the water’s edge to trap runoff.
Animals
-
Scoop and flush, or put in garbage pet droppings to prevent adding nutrients to the lake.
-
Dispose of duck and goose droppings from docks, patios and floats rather than sweeping or washing into the lake.
-
Don’t feed the geese.
Invasive Species
-
Drain and clean your boats, jet skis, and trailers thoroughly before putting into Lake Sammamish.
-
Clean your hiking boots, waders, off-road vehicles, kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards.
-
Let your lake neighbors and boating friends know of the threats and what they should do to prevent introductions of these aquatic hitchhikers.
-
Do not release aquatic pets or plants into lakes, wetlands or streams.
Speak Up!
If You See a Problem on Lake Sammamish
Apparent illegal activity:
Dumping into the lake or imminent danger to people, call 911!
Inconsiderate watercraft:
King County Marine Patrol at 206-296-3853 or visit them on the web at the Marine Patrol website.
State Department of Ecology (DOE) – NW Region – 425-649-7000
To report spills, visit the website.
Bellevue
24-Hour Emergency Response number for the City of Bellevue Utilities at 425-452-7840
Issaquah
Utility problems: (stormwater, sewer, and water) call Public Works Operations Department at 425-837-3470.
Illegal dumping: 425.837.3107, Code Compliance Officer.
Redmond
Redmond Environmental Hot Line at 425-556-2868 or visit their website.
Sammamish
For public works emergencies M-F 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, call city hall at 425-295-0500. For public works emergencies after hours, holidays and weekends, call dispatch at 206-296-8100.
Contact Your Elected Officials
It is tempting to think that a message from one person – you – can not make a difference in the vote cast by an elected official. It takes a little time and effort to do so, and people will make the contact only if they are serious about the issue. But that is exactly the reason it pays off! Politicians know if they receive a few inputs, they represent many, many more people with that opinion who did not take the time to contact them. Below is information on how to make a contact at all levels of our government.
Time saving tips:
When you want to send the same message to multiple people, draft it in a word-processing file and save it so you can copy and paste it into multiple messages. Include the subject and your address in the file, too.
The sites provided below are official government sites to the best of our knowledge. In the process of collecting the information below, a Google site called congress.org was found that makes e-mailing multiple elected officials much easier. However, there is advertising to put up with and other aspects that may offend people. Use at your own risk.
Note if you allow “cookies” to be placed on your computer, some sites will remember your zip code, and, therefore, who your representatives are.
Volunteer Your Time
There is much to do. The simplest are the most basic. Clean up after pets, don’t put contaminants down the storm drain. Plant native vegetation and provide shade along water ways.
For more expansive volunteer opportunities sponsored by other organizations, visit the sites below:
King County Department of Natural Resources – http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/stewardship/volunteer
Mountains to Sound Greenway – http://mtsgreenway.org/volunteer